Longtime Faculty Members Retire

Campus colleagues wished Mary Ellen Batiuk and Vinton Prince well as they begin their retirement from Wilmington College with the conclusion of the fall 2014 semester next week. President Jim Reynolds and Erika Goodwin, vice president for academic affairs, hosted a farewell reception for the longtime faculty members Wednesday (Dec. 3). “I have admired both Vinny and Mary Ellen for their intellect and commitment to the College’s mission,” Reynolds said. “I believe they’ve made a significant difference in the lives of their students. I’m grateful and appreciative for what they’ve done here.” Batiuk, professor of sociology, joined the College in 1982 as an adjunct instructor in its prison program at Lebanon Correctional Institution before becoming full time in 1983 as a faculty member and academic coordinator at Lebanon. Her landmark recidivism research with WC’s Paul Moke, professor of political science and criminal justice, showed a direct correlation between inmates’ academic success and their not returning to prison upon their release. As the prison program grew to nearly 600 students at three area prisons, the College named Batiuk dean of correctional education. In 1995, when the program began losing significant state and federal support, she started teaching full time on main campus, where she has served as area coordinator for the social sciences. Batiuk, who taught a variety of social science courses and Global Issues, spoke of her rewarding 40-year career in education, most of which was spent at Wilmington College. “I am leaving young at heart, with a spring in my step and looking forward to what the future holds,” she said. Prince, professor of history, came to WC in 1983 after teaching some 15 years at several other institutions. At WC, he insructed numerous world history courses, as well as geography, American government and such topical courses as Civil War, War in the Modern World, Modern Russia and Modern East Asia. In addition, Prince was the primary author for the 1994 accreditation self-study, which marked the first time the College earned the gold standard, maximum 10-year continuing accreditation. He also was assistant men’s soccer coach in the mid-80s, a fraternity adviser for 30 years and has led spring break study-abroad trips since 2003. “Wilmington let me do a lot of things I couldn’t have done at other places,” he said.